Excavating-machine.



J. BENTSON.

EXCAVATINC: MACHINE.

APPUCAHON FILED NOV. 21. NHL Y 7 Putvntcd km. a, 1818.

H. .l. BENTSON.

EXCAVATING MACH'NE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-21.1917. 1,283,460. Patented Nov '5, 1918.

4 SHEETSSHHI 2.

M a I W 4P swinging scoop may UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HANS J. BENTSON. OF WINTHBOP HARBOR, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 FREDERICK C.

AUSTIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

EXCAVATING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Nov. 5, 1918.

Application filed November 21, 1917. Serial No. 203,104.

To all who/a z't may concern:

lie it known that l. ll.\xs J. lhcx'rsox, a citizen of the United States of America. and resident of \Vinthrop. llarbor, county of Lake. and Htatd' of Illinois, have invented a certain m-\v.and useful lmprovenn-nt in ExeavatingMal-hines, oi' Wllllll the following l. a specification.

This invention relates to excavating machines for making ditches. and it. relates more partieulzn'lv to excavators of that kind in which digging apparatus is provlded for forming the ditch along a line parallel with the direction of travel ofthe excavator, preferahlv at one side of the body of the exeavator.

(it'llt'l'illl stated. the object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved excavating machine of the foregoing general character.

object is to provide an improved and arrangement whereby a be employed to advantage, in a novel and simple manner, as the means for digging the ditch, and whereby said scoop may be operated back and forth transversel} of the line of travel of the excavator, and transversely of the ditch, so that the scoop will travelfrom one side of the ditch to the other, about an axis extending parallel with the direction of travel of the excavator, during the operation of digging the ditch.

It is also an object to provide certain details and features of construction and combinations tending to increase the general efiiciene and desirability of 'an excavator of this particular construction.

To the foregoing and other useful ends, the invention consists in matters hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of an excavator embodying the principles of this invention.

Fi 2 is a rear elevation of said machine, showing the swinging scoop at work in the ditch.

Fig. 3 isa view similar to Fig. 2, but showin the scoop raised into dumping position.

ig. 4 is a plan of said excavating machine. 1

As thus illustrated, my invention com prises a suitable body frame, A mounted on front wheels B and a rear'catorpillar C, or

Asperial construction other traction device, whereby the machine is adapted to travel forward over the surface of the ground. An engine D, of any suitable character, is arranged on the body for driving said caterpillar, and for operat ing the digging apparatus shown in the drawings and hereinafter described.

Said digging apparatus comprises a laterallvextending boom E pivoted on the side of the body frame, at the rear end thereof. and provided at its outer end with a rotary wheel-like member F, the latter being pivoted atf to turn about a horizontal axis extending parallel with the direction of travel of the excavator. A brace c is provided for said boom, pivoted on the side of the frame A, and adapted to hold the boom against. rearward or forward displacement. As shown, said wheel-like member F has four spokes 1, Q, 3 and 4, the spoke or arm 1 being provided at its end with a scoop which swings back and forth transversel of the ditch. The other three spokes or arms of the wheel-like rotatable member I" are provided at their ends with hearing portions g, which constitute the periphery of the wheellike member, and which are adapted to engage the operating cables H and I, which cables have their ends secured to the scoop in any suitable or desired manner. The body frame A is provided with a longitudinally extending shaft J having thereon a drum j for the cable H, and a similar longitudinally disposed shaft K is provided with a drum k for the cable I, the latter being supported in elevated position at one point in the length thereof by the sheave L suitably mounted on an upright l secured to said body frame. With this arrangement, rotation of the drum to Wind up the cable H, while the drum k is rotated in the opposite direction to unwind the cable I, will result in forward movement of the scoop G from one side of the ditch to the other, thus causing said scoo to collect a load of dirt as it moves toward the body frame of the ma chine-that is to so toward a oint a littlewill result in backward movement said.

scoop, so that it will be brought into position for another forward operation to take up another load. The frame A is also prowith a longitudinally canceling shaft n'which is mounted apunon U to enthe rack 7. on the underside of the conendplvoted at m to the outer end of the boon}- E, whereby rotation of said pinion in one direction will cause said rack to travel u wardl thus causing the connecting rod lid to pull the boom upward. Rollers 8, of any suitable character, are preferably orran ed to on age the back of the connect ng 'I'od there y to hold the rack in operative engagement with said pinion.

1th this arran ement, after the scoop G has been operate. forward, the load taken up thereby is then dumped by raising the boom and the wheel-like member F into the position sllown in Fig. 3, the cables H and I being manipulated at such time to bring the scoop G into an upside-down osition over the bank N at one side of the itch 0, so that the load will be dumped immediately behind the caterpillar or traction device U previously described. The dumpin devices, whereby the bucket is caused to disc large its lead, comprise a gate 9 hinged at 10 to the scoop, a locking bolt ll mounted in uldes 12 on said gate, together with a socfiet 13 on the scoop to be .en aged by the end of said locking bolt, an a cable or flexible connection 14 which connects the other end of said bolt with a fixed point on the end of the boom. \Vith this arrangement, when the boom and the wheel-like member are raised, and the wheel-like member rotated into the position shown in Fig. 3, the cable or flexible connection 14 is partially wound.

upon the drum 15, which latter forms the hub of said wheel-like member, so that In elfect this connection 14 is shortened snfiiciently to draw the bolt 11 out of the socket 13 at about the time the scoop'reaches the dumping position, thus automatically unlocking the diunping gate 9 and permitting the load to be disc arged downward from the back end of the scoop onto the ground behind the excavator. The locking device, it will be understood, can be constructedso that the ate will slam shut when the scoop is again owered and brought around in the position shown in Fi 2, as by bevelin'g" the end of the locking ho is so that the gate will be automatically locke During the operation of the scoop, it will be seen'that the cable H exerts an advantageous pull to drag the scoop forward, in asmuch as the engaging portion get the wheel-like member seryjes tokeep this cable a given distance from the axis about'which said member rotates. In othefi'words, the

twocablesH and I are partially Wound upon said wheel-like memb Rand when elther'cable is unwound, by the operation of itsallotted'winding drumythe cable exerts a powerful pull on the scoop, because the g rod M, the latter having its lower.

leverage through which either cable operates is alwa s practically the same, being the radius 0 the wheel-like member, or a proximately so, for all positions. of t e scoop.

It will be understood that any suitable means can be employed for connecting the shafts j and k witi the engine D, )reviously described, or with any other suita 1e source of power, and that ordinary clutches, and brakes of any suitable character, can be employed for controlling the operation of these shafts, and that no explanation or description of these devices is necessary. Also, an y suitable arrmigemcnt can be employed for transmitting.power to the shaft 5 and for controlling the operation of this shaft so that the digging apparatus can be raised and lowered at will.

In practice, in View of the fact that the caterpillar or traction dcvice C is compare lively narrow, the weight of the digging appariitus is counter-lmlanoed by a counterbalance weight, of any suitable cl1aractor, not 1SlIOWl1, mounted on the otherside of the frame. Also, if desired, an outboard wheel 1 can be provided on the land-side of the excavator, to bear upon the ground at any suitabledistancc from the caterpillar. thereby to steady-the excavator or hold it in position during the operation thereof. \Vhile the scoop G is in operation, the excavator is standing still. However, as soon as the scoop has worked long enough to reach the ultimate depth desired for the ditch, the entire digging apparatus is then raised above the ground, and the caterpillar operated to move the machine forward, thereby to bring the dig ing apparatus directlyover the position ii)! the next downward out in the ground. In this way, therefore, the ditch is fOll'llBd in a step-by-step manner, by successive downward cuts of the swinging scoop. Obviously, the scoop-can be operated to produce a ditch with sloping sides, the ditch being formed by successive downward cuts of the rigging apparatus in the round. Inthis way, the path of travel of tie machine and the ditch are parallel,.

and the axis about which the digging appa-- ratus operates is parallel with the ditch and with the line of travel of the excavator.

Any suitable means can be employed for limiting the upward swing of the boom E, when the dipper or scoop is raised into dumping position. For example, a bumper 16, backed by a sprin 17, in any suitable or desired manner, can e mounted on the up per portion of the frame A, near the rear end of the shaft 5, and this bumper will limit the u ward swing of the said boom. The wheelike member F is, of course, on the roar sideof the boom E so that it swings upward in rear of the b0 y fra'me A, and

the different parts are all relatively arranged to permit thi raising and lowering of the excavating apparatus. and so as not to interfere with each other during this raising operation.

\Vith the foregoing construction, it will be seen that the scoop ti is oscillatory aboutv a horizontal axis which extends parallel with the ditch. and that the scoop is movable upwardly and, laterally until it reaches a position directly in rear of the excavator body, and directly above the path of travel of the excavator. in other words, the scoop (l fills by movement toward the body A. then rises and moves over the path of travel of the ex-- eavatol'. and then discharges its load. Al o, it. will be seen that the scoop G passes the boom ll. while the scoop is rising to the dumping position. and swings some distance away from the boom before reaching the dumping position. Thus the bucket. mores upward toward the boom while loading and passes the boom while rising to the dumping position. thereby to discharge the load above the path of travel of the excavator, preferably on-tbe ground in rear of the excavator body.

What l claim as my invention is:

l. in an excavating machine for making a ditch. the combination of a traveling body, a rotatable member mounted to operate about a horizontal axis. means for supporting said member in position on said body. a scoop supported on said member to operate about said axis.instrumentalities for oscillat ing said member to swing said scoop back and forth in the ground so that the ditch will extend parallel with the direction of travel of said body. connections for raising and lowering. said member, adapted to cooperate with said instrumentalities to raise said scoop into dam )ing position directly behind said body. and devices for causing a discharge of the load from said scoop.

:3. structure as specified in claim 1. said instrumcntalities including (1) a flexible connection for pulling the scoop forward, (it) a flexible connection for pulling the scoop backward. and (3) means to operate said flexible connections to rotate said member first in one' direction and than in the other: said member being wheel-like in form and having meansat the periphery thereof to engage said connections so that first one connection and then the other is partially wound around said member during the hack and forth motion of .said scoop.

1i. structure as specified in claim i. said instrumentalilies including (i) a cable to pull the scoop forward. (2) a cable to pull the scoop backward. and (3) drama to oper ate said cables; said member being provided with radially extending arms to oneof which said scoo) is secured. and at the. ends of which said other arms are provided with means tor engaging said cables during the oscillatouy motion of said member. and said devices including a dumping-gate at the rear end of v aid v coop.

4. structure as specified in claim 1. said axis extending longitudinally of the ditch, arallel with the direction of travel of atlid body, so that said scoop operates hack and forth from one side of the said ditch to the. other during the oscillation of said member.

5. A structure as specified in claim .3, said member being arranged so that said scoop swings back and forth from one side of said ditch to the. other during the oscillatory .moveinent of said member.

ti. structure as specified in claim 3, said member being disposed laterally of said body. with said axis extending parallel with the direction of travel of said body along the ground at one side of said ditch, so that said scoop operates back and forth tansversely of said ditch.

T. A structure as specified in claim 1. said member being disposed at the. rear end 0 said body. with said axis extending parallel with the direction of travel of the machine. so that. said scoop operates transversely of the trench. whereby the ditch is formed by successive downward cuts in the ground. said body being movable forward after each cut is linishcd to bring said scoop above the position for the next downward cut in the ground.

8. in an excavating machine for making a ditch. the combination of a body moyable along the top surface of the ground in a direction parallel with the ditch, a boom extending laterally of said body, a wheel-like member mounted on the outer end of said boom. whereby said member is rotatable about an axis parallel with the direction of travel of the machine, a scoop carried or the periphery of said Wheel-like uemb mechanism to raise and lower said 000m, :1 cable extending under the periphery of said member to operate said scoop forward, a cable. extending over the periphery of said member to operate said scoop backward, d rams for operating said cables, and devices for causing said scoop to discharge the load therefrom.

9. A structure as s ecified in claim 8, said devices being operab e automatically by the rotation of said member.

10. A structure as s ecified in claim 8, said devices including F 1) a pivoted dumping-gate at the rear end of said scoop, (2) a locking device for said gate, (3) a connection extending from said locking device, and 1-) means on said member to operate said connection to automatically open said gate when said scoop reaches the dumping position or point of discharge.

11. A structure as specified in claim 8. said boom and member being disposed in po sition at the rear end of said body, so that llw flilllllf ll lt n1 .l w mp for (l I xwuule-ilillil l'wrili transversely of the fiziill axis, means for causing sairl scoop zluu'ggu Lin: 10ml llHPITG- in i'iiiMJil position,

I for making a ditch, imly vquippc-(l to travel at nmside thvreof, k and 'fmtl: crosswise Hill at one side of the in take up :1 load by lij)\'(lli(ill first almvnwnnl :Iml llin i upwnnl rumml ilw riiio ml the l lll'll Ill \iiliiQli tl'm vxi ii'ziiur {2112121 10 give flu,- iliii-h definite #iigilli' in mm ,vviinn :iJHl \Ylwwlii llle -wiop i lama iz'liwii :ilHl llmuglit into (lumping p0- iiirm illlUH ilw pzilli of ii'zn'vl of (in; 0X- v'zfl'nlnl' Emily. and mums for mining i110 \IHUP in discharge iis lnml after reaching I! illlllli'rillg pnsit'iun.

ll. .\L1'll'lil'i as pvr-ilivel in ('lziim 1 mic! i!1.\ll'iilil(lll2illllfPH cum n-hing: a. boom pivutm'l on iim -iilv of mid burly in (Wm-hang 1hr iilliflil an mi'illnlory nwmbw' pivoted on llm mid of said lmom (u oscillate :1 bout said u xix. said W100!) living rigidly Slflll'efii to Said owillutm v membor, flvxible rouneulions to oscillate said inembm' in npmui'e the scoop in ilzc (litcli illlll to :igsi t in bringing'tlie sunny imn dumping positirm. iillil means in mike uurl llH'i'Pl' said boom.

1. A Slilflllll'l as peciliml in claim 13. said instrmnvni:llitim im-lmlin; :1 laterally (extending boom, IHQHlH tn miw and lower will imum, and an i villumi v \vllii-h mid scoop is mm-ii and which is piwtmi upon the: mui of hillil 0mm: 50 that tlm wimp can pass iliu bumll while rifiing tn the lllllllpillg position.

Signed by me all (him-ign, lllindis, this Bil lay of Ym'embfll'. 1917.

HANS .l. BENTSON. 

